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Rumour: Apple preparing entry-level 'iPad mini' for Q1 2012 to take on Kindle Fire

iPad 3 to arrive in second quarter

Rumour: Apple preparing entry-level 'iPad mini' for Q1 2012 to take on Kindle Fire
Given the unbounded success Apple has enjoyed with iOS to date, it'd be easy to mistake the firm for an introverted outfit, focusing solely on its own activities rather than those of its rivals.

The latest rumours, however, suggest Apple is currently taking a long hard look at the threat Amazon's Kindle Fire poses to its business, with the suggestion being it's planning to launch an entry-level 'iPad mini' in early 2012 in response.

Whisper it

The source of said stories - Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White – claimed in a note to investors that meetings he held with technology supply chain firms in China point towards a new iPad SKU early next year.

"Our research is pointing to the unveiling of a lower priced iPad in the first few months of 2012 that is aimed at expanding the company's market potential by tapping into a more price sensitive consumer segment," White wrote.

"Essentially, this 'iPad mini' will also fend off the recently announced Amazon Kindle Fire that addresses the low-end tablet market with a $199 price tag but could lead to bigger tablet ambitions from the online retailer in the future."

Mini me-dia

The Mini name, however, will apparently refer to its entry-level pricing rather than its physical size.

"We believe this lower priced iPad could be priced in the mid-to-high-$200 range," he concluded.

"We expect this will be followed by a much more powerful, feature rich standard-priced iPad 3 in Q2 2012."

Whether or not Kindle Fire will have an impact on iPad in terms of sales - or even new hardware - remains to be seen.

Indeed, the suggestion is existing Android devices may be hit hardest by Fire, with a recent YouGov study predicting its low price will see it take second spot in the tablet race at the expense of other, more expensive Android tablets.

[source: AppleInsider]

When Matt was 7 years old he didn't write to Santa like the other little boys and girls. He wrote to Mario. When the rotund plumber replied, Matt's dedication to a life of gaming was established. Like an otaku David Carradine, he wandered the planet until becoming a writer at Pocket Gamer.